Different Actors Would Have Made It A Blockbuster

I have to disagree. Viggo really stole the show in this one. Only bad casting choice was Renee. Irons' voice did rankle me the entire time, but it just made me dislike the character even more.

You know, the funny thing about this movie is that it tricks you. We get so caught up in watching Cole and how he runs the town, that we kind of forget that it was Hitch who was narrating earlier. In his narration it is implied that he and his friend Cole no longer work together. The second half of the movie, and especially the end really shows why. The story is really one about friendship, and not so much about killing people. That's why it wouldn't make a good Blockbuster.

Personally, I don't think it would have sold well even if you had cast George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, and Tom Hanks in the four main roles. I say those four because you get the added bonus of every critic everywhere thinking it was cinematic gold by their very presences, which has to bring in a few extra dollars. That movie would be terrible, by the way. Let's not even go there after I'm done.

The only change I would make would be putting say, Gwyneth Paltrow instead of Renee Zellweger

Sam Shepard and Sam Elliott are fine actors but in no way do they have more box office clout than VM and Ed harris. I mean, those two don't have that much box office clout either but certainly more than those you named. I hate Zellwegger so pretty much ANYONE would have been better but Madeleine Stowe has never brought crowds into theaters. Lewis or Bale WOULD definitely have raised the movie's profile, but Jeremy Irons is in my opinion as good an actor as these two so in terms of acting, it was perfect as it was. Also, Elliott would be too old.

OP is totally wrong. The casting of this movie was perfect.